Binary shaders [dx9]

Hi, I've been trying to load binary shaders compiled with fxc.exe using the ps_2_0 and respectively vs_2_0 profiles. I am loading the files into char *buffers for each of the shaders and then passing the buffers to CreatePixelShader() and CreateVertexShader() like so:

result = app.getDevice()->CreateVertexShader((DWORD*)&bufferVSH, &vertexShader);
result = app.getDevice()->CreatePixelShader((DWORD*)&bufferPSH, &pixelShader);

but both methods return failed. What could I be doing wrong? Thanks